Subscribe to Frog Hospital with Pay Pal

Fred Owens

Hit the PayPal Button

Links

How Frog Hospital got its name

News and commentary by Fred Owens in LaConner, a small town in the Skagit Valley. The story behind the name: There was once a grocery store in a quonset hut, run by Mr. Grobschmidt. Clyde, an old drunk who lived out on the river, thought that Mr. Grobschmidt looked like a frog, so he took to calling the store the "Frog Hospital." Now the quonset hut, Mr. Grobschmidt, and Clyde are all gone -- only this blog survives to carry on the Frog Hospital tradition.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Aunt Jennifer's Kraal

Aunt Jennifer sits in her kraal outside of Kezi town. She sits on a mat, as women are accustomed to sit. She is very happy to see us, because she loves us and because we brought her ice-cold beer from town.

Standing behind her is Uncle Smiley. He came with us that day to see his sister Jennifer. He is standing because African men do not sit on mats on the ground. They must have a stool for sitting -- or else they will stay standing.

"Kraal" mean corral and refers to this yard-home where each hut is a room, one for sleeping, for cooking, one for brewing corn beer, and one for the husband.

Aunt Jennifer's husband never emerged from his hut while we visited, so I cannot say what he is like.

No one will believe this because it is too, too classic, but that day we carried in my truck an enamel kitchen sink to give to Aunt Jennifer and we carried back an old billy goat.